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No. 609,607. Patented Aug. 23, I898.

G. M. BOWEN.

WAGON SEAT.

(Application filed Feb. 5, 1898.)

(No Model.)

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. BOIVEN, OF TALBOTT,TENNESSEE, AS SIGNOR TO MARY BQWEN,

OF SAME PLACE. 4

WAGON-SEAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 609,607, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed February 5, 1898 Serial No. 669,215. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. BOWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Talbott, in the county of J eflerson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon -Seats'and Footboards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip-' tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in wagon-seats and footboards, and has for its object to provide a simple and convenient device of this class particularly for use when the wagon-box is removed; and to this end the novelty consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, the same figures of reference indicate the same parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the hind running-gears of a wagon embodying my improved seat and footboard. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of my improved seat, showing it in place on the standards. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the seat. Fig. at is a perspective view of my improved footboard. Fig. 5 is a detail of the rein-holder.

1 1 represent two vertical auxiliary standards, which are fixed to the permanent standards 2 2 by means of staple-rings 3, their lower ends resting on the sandboard 4. The said standards 1 1 are provided at their upper ends with notches 5 5, and secured there to are vertical supporting-plates 6 6, formed with a series of hooks 6 6. The seatboard 7 is formed at its opposite ends with notches or recesses 8 8 to receive said standards,and pivoted in said notchesare swinging stirrups or bails 9 9, which are adapted to engage the notches 5 5 or either one of the hooks 6 6 to support the seat at the proper elevation desired. The seat is thus swung between the auxiliary standards and may be conveniently raised and lowered, and at the same time the stirrups are adapted to move inwardly and outwardly to accommodate themselves to the positions of the standards when the latter are forced outwardly under the weight of the load; The seat may be reversed whenever desired and the pivoted stirrups used to support it with either side uppermost, so that when one side of the seat becomes wet in inclement weather the other side thereof may be turned up to provide a dry seat.

1O 10 represent metallic wear and stiffening strips secured to the side edges of'the seat, and 11 11 two series of notches in said" edges through which pass bands or straps 12 12, which are adapted to hold bundles, a

cushion or loose straw is placed thereon to form a cushion-seat.

13 represents an opening near the front side of the seat for insertion of the handle of an umbrella, and 1 1 a pivoted loop or bail on the bottom thereof, whereby said seat may be removed and supported on either one of the standards or on the rear end of the couplingpole clear of the body of the wagon, as shown in Fig. 1, while the wagon is being loaded with lumber or other material. A'pivoted catch 14: is provided to hold this bail closed when out'of use.

The auxiliary standards 1 1 are preferably rounded at their lower ends to fit within the staple-rings 3, flattened on their inner faces to fit closely against the stationary standards 2, and also flattened in a transverse direction at their upper ends to permit the stirrups 9 9 to have freedom of movement.

As a convenient and secure way of holding the drivers gloves or the lines and for other suitable purposes I provide the seat at its ends within the notches with vertical curved springs 15 l5,secured at one end in such a manner as to bear against the sides of the standards, as shown.

I have thus contrived a seat for roadwagons that is at once springy and comfortable and that can be used when the wagonbox is on or oft on either the front or rear standards, and as an additional factor of comfort I secure to the seat a reversible backsupport 13'.

In combination with the above-described seat I have provided a footboard 16, which is a necessary adjunct thereto when the box is removed. It comprises the platform 16,

' the art to which it relates without departingwhich is preferably made wider at its rear end than at its front and fills the space between the bolster of the rear axle and the cross-bar 17, which supports the brake-bar 18. Battens 19 are secured on the top and bottom sides and ends of this platform, near the outer edges thereof, the battens on the bottom extending forward of the front edge of the platform a sufficient distance to partly overlap the cross-bar 17 and prevent the said platform from tilting. A batten 20 is secured to the footboard 16 and extends longitudinally between the ends of the top battens 19 19. This batten, in combination with the said top battens 19 19, forms a shallow box-like receptacle in which articles of merchandise,&o. may be carried without danger of displacement. If it is desired to deepen this receptacle, it may be done by fitting ordinary side boards in the staples 21, which are provided for that purpose on the outer face of the battens. If desired, the platform may be inverted and the clean under side used as a feed-box.

Although I have accurately described my invention, yet I do not wish to be strictly confined thereto, as various modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in from the spirit thereof;

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a wagon seat, the combination of standards, plates secured thereto and provided with supporting-hooks, and a seat-board notched at its ends to receive said standards and provided with pivoted stirrups or. bails adapted to engage said hooks, substantially as described.

2. In a wagon-seat, the combination with the standards, of a reversible seat-board supported thereby, and a back-rest for said seatboard, substantially as described.

3. In a wagon-seat, the combination with the standards, of a seat-board supported thereby, and a spring-arm carried by the seatboard and engaging the standards, substantially as described.

4. In a wagon-seat, the combination with the seat-board notched on opposite edges,

of securing straps extending transversely around the seat board and engaging the notches, substantially as described.

5. In a wagon-seat, the combination of the standards, a reversible seat-board supported thereby and provided with sockets on opposite edges, and a back adapted to be supported by said sockets, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a vehicle, of a removable seat, a pivoted bail for suspending the seat from the vehicle when not in use, and a catch carried by the seat for holding the bail closed when the seat is in use, substantially as described.

7. In a vehicle, the combination with the running gear, of a reversible foot board, adapted to be removably positioned upon said running-gear, substantially as described.

8. In a vehicle, the combination with the running-gear, of a removable foot-board positioned thereon between the bolster of the rear axle and the cross-bar supporting the brake-bar, said board having battens at its side edges, which project therefrom and engage the cross-bar, substantially as described.

9. In a wagon-seat, the combination of main standards, auxiliary standards adapted to be supported by the main standards and notched, and a seat-board carrying pivoted bails which engage the notches of the auxiliary standards, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE M. BOWEN.

Witnesses:

J D. TROBAUGH, Mrs. J. D. TROBAUGH. 

